Collating machine



Sept. 6, 1960 Filed NOV. 23, 1956 w. F. BERNART ETAL COLLATING MACHINE 8Sheets-Sheet 1 fez 4/750 ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 Filed Nov. 23, 1956 W.F. BERNART ETAL COLLATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 6, 1960 w. F.BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23. 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 X V 'j 31 (87 7m\ g g/fer J: #0050 ATTORNEY Sm. 1960 w. F. BE-IRNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 23, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 j! mum one W115i75 RESE 0N 144- a m l 31 24 157 a MGM.

ATTORNEY p 1950 w. F. BERNART ET AL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed NOV. 23, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Sept. 6,1960 w. F. BERNART -ET AL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTO R N EY Sept.6, 1960 w. F. BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

COLLATING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 25, 1956 7 5 0 7 9 a y H Md I RG1 u u lNV TORS 7/0 y); j

'ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 w. F. BERNART ETAL 2,951,697

, COLLATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2a, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 ATTORNEY2,951,697 COLLATING MACHINE William F. Bernart, New Canaan, and WalterJ. Hanson, Old Greenwich, Conn., assignors to Pitney-Bowes, Inc.,tamford, Cnn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 23, 1956, Ser. No.624,029

3 'Claims. (Cl. 270-58) This invention relates to collating andespecially to the kind of collating in which sheets or sections of onetype are fed one by one to a plurality of pockets in a moving receptor,whereupon the process is repeated with sheets or sections of anothertype, and so forth until a set is accumulated in each pocket.

It has been known to collate material by the general method outlinedhereinabove, but the particular features heretofore adopted have hadcertain notable drawbacks which it is the purpose of this invention tocure. One problem associated with collating equipment of this nature isto achieve adequate speed of operation, and one previously knownarrangement using a rotating receptor drum is inadequate in this regardin that the drum is operated by steps, that is, it is arrested at eachstep to insure the feeding of each sheet into the pocket. Anotherapproach to the problem has been to make the receptor, instead of afixed drum, a belt with outwardly extending pocket-forming elements,with the pockets being normally closed but temporarily open adiacent thefeeding point to receive the fed sheet. By this system it has been foundfeasible to move the receptor continuously, but the opening and closingof the pockets introduces undesired mechanical complications into thereceptor mechanism. Also, this construction has the tendency for thecollated sheets therein to separate, float, and interfere with theincoming sheets.

It is the primary object of the present invention, there-.

fore, to provide for collating at high speed using a rotary receptordrum having fixed pockets, and the same is accomplished by means of anaccurately controlled feed system which deposits the sheet in the vacantpart of each pocket on the fly without making it necessary to arrest thedrum for that purpose.

Another object of the invention is to provide for convenientlyintroducing a plurality of groups of collations into the receptorpockets in such a way as to have them clearly distinct and readilyseparable, whereby the equipment may be used to collate more sets thanits nominal capacity for a single set.

Additional objects, features and advantages will hereinafter appear asthe description proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a collator according to the presentinvention, with parts broken away to show interior details;

Fig. 2 is a partial left side elevation of the device of Fig. 1 to alarger scale, with portions of the feed mechanism shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view with part in section of the device of Fig. 2 takensubstantially on the line 3--3 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a detail section illustrating the feed mechanism positioningmeans and taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a partial left side elevation of the feed mechanism with thecover sectioned, and illustrating the gear drive for the parts;

Fig. 6 is a partial left elevation, partly in section, illus- I PatentedSept. 6, 1960 trating the operation of repositioning the feed mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a right side elevation of the device of Fig. 1 with the sideof the housing removed and illustrating in particular some of theelements of the electrical control system;

Fig. 8 is a rear end elevation of the feed mechanism with parts brokenaway to illustrate in particular parts of the electrical control system;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section illustrating a portion of the electricalcontrol system;

Fig. 10 is a partial right side elevation of the. feed mechanism withthe cover plate removed and illustrating the timing control therefor;

Fig. 11 is a detail elevation, partly in section, of the brake forcontrolling the main drum motor;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating details of drumconstruction and the method of positioning the sheets so as to conductplural collations simultaneously; and

Fig. 13 is a schematic showing of portions of the collator with thewiring for the electrical control system shown in detail.

Referring to the drawings, the collator comprises a housing or frame 21open at the top and having rotatably mounted therein a receptor drum 23.The drum 23 comprises a shaft 25 carrying central core plates 27 and endplates 29 (see Fig. 12). Radially disposed plates 31 have notchedengagement at their inner edges with core plates 27 and are made fast attheir ends to end plates 29 by means of integral tabs 33 which passthrough openlugs 35 in end plates 29. The tabs 33 are suitably securedin place either by welding, or mechanically by giving each tab a slighttwist. The drum assembly 23 described provides a plurality, e.g. fifty,outwardly opening pockets 37, the drum shaft being rotatable in bearings39 so that the pockets 37 can be presented in turn opposite a feedingstation to be hereinafter described.

Within the housing 21 is mounted a drum-driving power source 41 (seeFig. 7) shown as including an electric motor 43 driving reductiongearing 45 provided with an output sprocket 47 connected by a chain 49with a sprocket 51 aflixcd to the drum shaft 25. The power source 41also preferably includes a flywheel 53 mounted, for example, on theshaft connecting motor 43 and gearing 45. A brake mechanism 55, Figs. 7and 11, is provided including a brake lever 57 hinged as at 59 and isnormally urged by a spring 61 in a direction such that a brake shoe 63is in contact with and brakes the flywheel 53. A brake solenoid 65 isprovided to move the brake lever to disengaged position against theforce of spring 61 Whenever the motor 43 is operating.

Each of the radial pocket forming plates 31 is provided with a pluralityof notches in its outer edge. A deep central notch 67 is provided forconvenience in handling sheets, particularly to provide grasping spacefor re moving collated sheets from the pockets. The central notch 67 isflanked by shallow notches 69 which cooperate with curved peripheralguide rods 71 suitably mounted on theframe 21. The guide rods 71encompass about one-half of the drum periphery, lie within the notches69 of those plates 31 which are momentarily disposed at the lower halfof the drum and effectively close said lower pockets to keep sheets inthem from dropping out. Preferably-additional guide rods 71 are alsoarranged as shown opposite and just within the mouths of notches 67 forthe same purpose.

Located at one end of the frame 21 on the top thereof is a feed assembly75, seen in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 11, and especially inFigs. 2 and 3. The feed assembly is in most respects similar to othersheretofore developed but will be described briefly in order to clarifythe following description of operation. The feed assembly 75 includesv-.a frame 7 7 carrying arsheet hopper 79 which leads to aseparatorassembly 81 which withdraws sheets one-by-one from the top of astack of sheets in the hopper 79 and feeds'sthemi'forward individually.:to. a -pair df -feed- "rollers 83,185; ''.Thel'attergproject theisheet8 against agniding ledge' 87.:ar1d1thence':into5a pocket of I the'-rotating -drum 23. aThe'i fee'd ?rollersfiareddrivenrbyfa separatepower source here shown as feed motor .589 =mountedon the frame .77.:andiconnected'ito thet'roller by :a suitable "driving :train 91. Anyappropriate drive for the separator assembly maybeusedgtheseparatorassembly operating :at :somewhatasloweri speed than the :rollers 83, 85.For example, the-separatoriassembly:may be driven by gearing such-asgearing 93 i (Fig. i 5') ifr'om the Ifeed' rollers :83, -85. The' fee'dmotor 89 is :intended to run continuously whenever the ma'chine isinioperation, :and feeding-act-ioniselfectedor interrupted by means'of aclutch mechanism shown generally in Fig '10. The tclutch mechanismincludes, interposed: between the train -91 and shaft 93 -of roller' 83,an over-running spring clutch-.95 ofconventionalconstruction which causmoperation of the feed rollers 83, 85 whenever the train 91 is operating.The clutch 95, however,'has anouter'ibrakc surface 97which controls' thespring clutching element in known fashion so that whenever the brakesurface97 is retarded the spring element'of 'clutch' 95 is expanded andits :grip is releasedte interrupt 'the feed roller-operation. A brakeb-and 99,-'preferably in the form of aspringpsurrounds the drum 97, anda solenoid 101 'is gproVidedfor const1-icting the brake band and -'thusstopping the feed Wheneverthesolenoid is energized.

"The parts are-so arrangedthatthe drum 23 rotates in an anticlockwisedirection as seen in -Fig. 2,-such that the pockets 37 approach thefeeding station 'by moving upwar'dly from a lower position tending tokeeping the sheets firmly stacked against the lower wall of each pocket.The guiding ledge 87 is so oriented as to direct the leading edge of thefed s'heet'against 'thelower'surface ofthe upper plate 31 forming the"pocket, andthus avoid conflict with other-sheets alreadyiocatedtherein.

Mounted on the feed assembly 75 is a sheet detector switch 103 which-isactuated by asheet S'being'fed when position, andjust short of the nipof the rollers 83, 85.

The parts will then be so disposed that the balance of the stack ofsheets can be quickly withdrawn from hopper 79 to be replaced by a stackof the next type of sheet to be distributed.

At the forward end of-frame 21 are mounted unloading switches 119 and121. The former is a push button switch designed for manual operationand the latter includes a knee lever for use when the operators handsare occupied. 'Aftercollating' has"been"completed, .either switchenablesthe drum to be inchedaround whilethecollatedsheets are easily andconveniently withdrawn' 'from'the pockets.

' In Fig. l2 'is -shown'a-plural sheet'detect'o'r 123 which senses theadded .thicknesspresent when more than one sheet passes the" feedrollers "83,85 by mistake. A multiplying arm 125 operates a plural sheetdetector switch 127 which serves to arrest both the feed and the drumrotation when such improper feeding occurs, and simultaneously :energizea "plural sheet signal light 128. -Mounted at a suitablepoint-on'theframe 77 ofthe feed assembly (see porarily the stoppage ofthefe'ed mechanism and-to feed I 'theplural sheetsout .from the-nip ofthe rollers 83, 85

'the leading edge has passed Well-betweenthefeed rollers i 83, 35.Actuation of the switch 103 serves to "stop the feedwvith the sheet inready position until a-pocket actuated "demand switch has been actuatedwhich causes the feed *to'resume at the proper instant and feed thesheet outinto the appointedpocket. Thepocket actuated demand switchislocated at a suitable-point on housing 21 and is indicated 'by referencecharacter 105. The same is actuated by some structure related to thepockets 37 and is preferably actuated by the tab 33 to cause the :demandwhich initiates feeding. In Fig. 9 can be seen an actuator arm 107 whichencounters the tabs 33 as they pass. Preferably this actuator armaffects two switches, :namely the pocket demand switch 105 justmentioned and a skip detector switch 109 which may be enclosed in thesame or an adjacent housing. The ship detector switch 109 is so arrangedthat its closing before the sheet detector switch has been actuated (ieno sheet is ready for feeding) throws a control circuit into operationto stop drum rotation until a-sheet is brought -up into feedingposition.

Also mounted on housing 21 are a home position switch 111 and a homeposition feed stop switch113, "as seen in Fig. 9. The former determinesa homeiposition for the drum 23 which, once started, normally makes acomplete revolution and returns to said home position where its drive isstopped automaticallyby the switch 111. "The switch 111 is actuated .bya suitably positioned cam projection 115 on the surface of the'drurn.The feed stop switch 113 is arranged to.cooperate with acam projection117 on the surface .of the drum and serves, as the drum moves'to homeposition, to'stop' the feed mechanism with the last sheet S justslightly ahead of its usual ready jpocket demand switch 105, forexample.

without immediately advancing the drum. In this manner *the operator-canwatch the feeding process, note the "pocket 'intowhich-theplural sheetsare fed, and manually withdraw the ext'ra or-extras as soonas the.notedpocket treaches anzexposedlposition. Normal automatic-operation.ofthermechanisrn resumes :as soon as the plural sheets are clear of thedetector 123.

Mounted on a panel on 'the side of-the feed assembly 75 (see Figs. Sand8) is amain'switch-131by which-the fline-power may 'be connected to thecircuits 'and which must be'turned'on'before collating can beeflie'cted. Also present is a start-switch 13-3 designed to bypassthehome position switchlll temporarily when the drum is in home"position so as to cause suflicient drum "rotation to-initiate acollatingcycle. Also present is an indicator'light for indicatingwhen'the drumis in home position.

In order that'it may be possible to collate anyde'sired numberof setsless "than but up to the capacity of the drum a predetermined c'ounter137 is provided. The counter is actuated by a solenoid 139 which drivesthe counter "137 to cause fonecounting operationevery time a pocketpasses, and may be under the control of the When the 'counterhasbe'enset -for a predetermined number o'f pock- 'ets, it counts off thatnumber as tl ley pass, aud the'n actuates a counter switch 141 whichdisables the feed mechanism and allows the drum to continue "its "motionback to home position without any further feeding of "sheets from thehopper until anew cycle is started. Any suitable disabling 'means, e.g.a switch 142 in the solenoid circuit,'may'be'pro'vided to prevent thecounte'rs moving from any desired non-zero setting and hence preventingthe switch 141 from taking effect when ordinary, 'fulldrum operation is'tobe carried out.

A button 144 is also arranged in a convenient location on frame 77, tobring about return of'the drum to home position whenever it has beendisplaced therefrom, as by an unloading operation.

Also carried on the frame 77 of the feed assembly 75 are three relays RR and R (Fig. 8) for suitably relating the controlling action of theswitches to each other sition of the relay. Relay R includes two switchblades R A and R 13. The blade R A meets either of two contacts R A andR A the former in the relaxed position and the latter in the actuatedposition of the relay. The blade R B meets a contact R 13 in theactuated position of the relay.

In the schematic showing, for convenience, all switches and relays areshown in their normal, relaxed position, if such exists.

The line conductors 151 and 153 lead to the double pole main switch 131.Thence the ground connection is made from contact 154 of switch 131 tothe solenoid of relay R via a conductor 155, to the solenoid of relay Rand light 135 via a conductor 157, to the solenoid of relay R via aconductor 159 to feed stop solenoid 101 via a conductor 161, and tolight 128, feed motor 89 and predetermined counter solenoid 139 via aconductor 163, said conductors constituting the ground network. Thecounter disabling switch 142 is preferably inserted in conduetor 163adjacent solenoid 139 to permit manual making or breaking the solenoidcircuit at will. The ground connection for drum motor 43 is made to theline conductor 151 outside the main switch via conductor 165. The brakesolenoid 65 is similarly served simultaneously by the parallel conductor165a.

A connection from the other side of the main switch 131, namely contact156 thereof, is made to the blade of sheet detector switch 103 viaconductor 167, to blade R A of relay R via conductor 169, and to thefeed motor 89 via conductor 171.

Power for the drum motor 43 is normally supplied from contact R A via aconductor 173, blade R B of relay R contact R B a conductor 175, theblade of home position switch 111, the unactuated contact, designated177, of said switch 111 and conductors 179, 181, and 183. A parallelconductor 183a simultaneously supplies the brake solenoid 65. There isone bypass connection supplying power to the drum motor and brakesolenoid which includes a conductor 185 meeting the juncture ofconductors 179 and 181, the start switch 133, and a conductor 137finally joining conductor 173 which leads to contact R A There is alsoanother bypass connection supplying power to the drum motor and brakesolenoid which includes a conductor 189 which joins conductor 1S3,either of switches 119 or 121 which are connected in parallel, and aconductor 191 which joins main line conductor 153 outside of the mainswitch 131.

Power for the control functions is primarily regulated by the sheetdetector switch 103. From its actuated contact, designated 193, aconductor 195 leads to blade R A of relay R and to one side of pocketdemand switch 105. The other side of pocket demand switch 105 connectsthrough conductors 197, 199 with contact R 13 through conductors 201,203 and 205 with the solenoid of relay R and with contact R A through aconductor 207 with the predetermined counter solenoid 139, and through aconductor 209 with one side of plural sheet detector switch 127. Theother side of the plural sheet detector switch connects with thesolenoid of relay R via a conductor 211. From the relaxed contact,designated 213, of sheet detector switch 103, a conductor 215 leads tothe blade of predetermined counter switch 141. The relaxed contact 217of said switch is connected by a conductor 219 with one side of switch11 A, and by a conductor 221 with one side of skip detector switch 109.The other sides of switches 109 and R A are connected by a conductor 223which also is connected to the solenoid of relay R Feed stop solenoid101 is connected with the actuated contact, designated 225, of thepredetermined counter switch 141 by a conductor 227. Feed stop solenoid101 is further connected with contact R A of relay R by a conductor 229,231 which is interrupted by the plural sheet feed switch 129. Contacts RA and R B are bridged by a conductor 233. Contact R A of relay R isponnected to conductor 227 and hence to feed stop sole- 5 noid 101 by aconductor 235. One side of home position feed stop switch 113 is alsoconnected to conductor 227 and hence to feed stop solenoid 101 by aconductor 237. The other side of switch 113 connects to conductor 175 bya conductor 239.

The actuated contact, designated 241, of home position switch 111 isconnected via a conductor 243 with the home position light 135. Theblade R B of relay R is connected via a conductor 245 with the pluralsheet light 128.

In the operation of the collator, main switch 131 is closed after hopper79 is stacked with the sheets to be collated. The first sheet will be inready position at the separator assembly 81. No separating or feedingwill occur, however, since the drum 23 is in home position and homeposition feed stop switch 113 is closed by its cam 117. Energizingcurrent is carried via conductor 169, blade R A, conductor 173, blade RB, conductors 175, 239, 237 and 227 to the feed stop solenoid 101 tocomplete its circuit and prevent feeding. The drum 23 is not nowrotating because of the opening created in its main power supply by theactuation of home position switch 111 by its cam 115. This opening canbe bypassed by momentarily closing start switch 133 which starts drumrotation. This moves the cams 115 and 117 away from their respectiveswitches 111 and 113. The former action (release of switch 111) releasesthe drum to continuous rotation for one revolution except for certaincontrol inspired stoppages to be hereinafter described. The latteraction (release of switch 113) causes deenergization of solenoid 101with consequent initiation of the feed.

The first sheet is then rapidly fed out to a point where its leadingedge actuates switch 103 where it hesitates. This hesitation is due tothe flow of current via conductor 167, contact 193, conductor 195, bladeR A, contact R A and conductors 235 and 2 -27 to solenoid 101 whichmomentarily stops the feed. This situation changes, however, as soon asthe approaching pocket tab 33 strikes the pocket demand switch 105. iThis action causes a flow of current via conductor 167, contact 193,conductor 195 to switch 105, conductors 197, 201, 203 and 205 to relay Rwhich is actuated and moves blade R A against contact R A simultaneouslybreaking the current flow to solenoid 101 and locking the relay R inactuated position regardless of the opened or closed condition of switch105 Since solenoid 101 is no longer energized, feeding proceeds untilthe first sheet S is fully fed out into the waiting first pocket 37.Since the feed rollers 83,. operate at a higher speed than separatorassembly 81, there will always be a gap between successive sheets duringwhich time switch 103 will be unactuated. This will permit relay R tounlock and start a whole new cycle of operation for the next sheet andpocket.

Each sheet and pocket cause the cycle of operations described in theimmediately foregoing paragraph to repea-t itself so that one sheet isfed into each pocket while the drum 23 continues to rotate. The pocketdemand switch is essentially in control and trips the feed each time anew pocket 37 presents itself in proper position. When each pocket hashad a sheet fed into it and the drum reaches home position again, switch111 is again actuated by its earn 115. This breaks the circuit to thedrum motor 43 and brake solenoid 57 so that drum rotation is stopped. Atthe same time the blade of switch 111 meets contact 241 and completes acircuit via conductor 243 to home position light 135, assuring theoperator that the operation is complete and that motion has not beenarrested in response to faulty operation in a manner to be hereinafterdescribed. As the drum reaches home position, the home position feedstop switch 113 is also again actuated by its cam 117 in time to preventthe next sheet S from getting into the nip of the feed rollers 83, 85,whereby the remaining supply of sheets printed as sheet 1 can be quicklywithdrawn from the hopper and replaced by a stack of different sheets,

e.g-. sheet 2. The whole series of-operations is repeated for eachdiiferent type of 3 sheet untila complete set-'has been collected ineach pocket -37. Thereupon' the operator opens main switch 131and-prepares to withdraw the collated sets from the drum. This maybedone-by standing front of the machine-as seen in--Fig= 7, inching thedrum 23 around afew'pockets at a time-and-withdrawing thecollated setstherefrom by hand. The motion of-=the drum is produced by closing switchll9 momentarilyeach time drum motion is desired, or by using theknee-instead,'parallel switch 121 may be similarly employed leaving bothof the operators' hands -free for unloading, Closing of either switch119 or 121 completes acircuit via conductors 191, 183, 183a to the drummotor- 43 -and brake -solenoid 65 for as longas the switch 119 or 1-21is held closed; When the unloading of-the drum is complete, the drum-maybe returned toexact home position manually: or: preferably byelectricalmeans. to behereinafter described.

The previous description-of operation goes forward on the basis ofcollating a number of sets equal to the number ofpoekets on the drum.Where fewer sets are required, provision is made for collating these inan especially efiicient 'manner.- As previously statedthe predetermined-counter 137 is moved one count every'time the circuit tosolenoid 139 is madeand then broken. if the switches 103 and "105 aresimultaneously in actuated position and then the switch 103 isthereafterrelaxed, this is-the norm-a1 method'of effecting a coun-t.-The counter. 137 can be set toany desired number of sets, for exampleten, and will run in decreasing order until the counter shows zero, atwhich time it will actuate the predetermined counter switch 141.Actuation of the switch separates the blade from contact 2 17' andcauses it to meet contact 225 which completes a circuit throughconductor 227 to feed stop solenoid 101, terminatingthe feed. The drum.rotation continues, however until the drum reaches home position whereit is stopped inthe manner heretofore described. The making of thecircuit to solenoid 101 depends upon lack of actuation of sheet detectorswitch'103, so that-the feed is stopped-at an instant after the last ortenthsheet has-been fed and before; the next or eleventh sheet hasreached the rollers-8 3 85. Breaking of the circuit at contact 217automatically disables a skip detector circuit, to be hereinafterdescribed,- so that the can finish out its rotationeventhough no sheetsare being fed tothe pocketsr Arnanualsnap switch 142 is provided forbreaking the solenoid circuit when desired so.that counter motion can bestopped and the normal full-drum operation can be availed ofwithoutdanger of inadvertently running through a zero-counter reading in theprocess. In'addition to counter operation of switch 141, there is alsopreferably provided the manual push button 144 mentioned heretofore. Bymeans of push button-144. it is possible to throwthe switch- 141- i atany time regardless ofthe indicated count. Thus all that needbe done toreturn the drum to home positionafter unloading or at any other timewhen his somewhat displaced from home position, is to press button 144and then'close main switch 131; holding button 144 pressed until thedrum reaches home and has stopped. The circuit arrangement will beexactly as described for predetermined counter operation so thatdrum-rotation will proceed; as desired without the feeding of any sheets(should such be present in the hopper), and automatic stopping of thedrum at home position will-occur in the samemanner.

Incertain instances abnormaloperation of-the feeding mechanism mayoccur. For example, if a sheet is late being fed for any reason thesheet detector switch 103 will. remain unactuated after-thepocket-demand switch 1 rand skip detector switch 109- have--beenactuatedby the,tab..33. In thiscircumstance there is a circuit madeviaconductor167, contact 213 of switch10 3, conductor 215, contact 217: ofswitch141, conductors 219 and 221,- switch 109,- and :conductor 223to-relay=R causing actuation of the same. Blade R A meets-contact R Aand completes a'locking circuit for relay:Rg,--while blade R 'B' -leavescontact-R B thereby breaking {the drum motor-and brake' solenoid circuitand stopping the drumi Simultaneously blade R B meets contact R B andcompletes a circuit including conductor'169, blade RgA, contact Rg-Aconductor 173, bladeR B, contact R 'B ,'conductors 199, 201, 203 and 205to relay R thus holding blade- R A- away from contact R Aand-breakingthe circuit to feed stop solenoid 101. This will operate tosus= tain-thefeed whenever the switch-103 is actuated bya Subsequentlyincoming sheet, even though pocket demand switch may already bereopened, for the -blade-'R" A= is already over' against contact R A andwill conduct current to the .solenoidof relay R just as soon as theblade of. switch: 103 meets contact 193, whereby to hold the relay R'operated even after relay R is relaxed by actuation of switch 103.:This relaxation requires an instant of-time. permitting relay R to catchand hold via its new circHitbefOre-the oldis sufficiently broken. Theaction alsosupplies current. to conductors 199, 201 and 207 to, actuatethe. predetermined counter solenoid 139in lieu of the. usualupath. Thusthe machine is. in acondition of readiness with the drum idleand thefeed'continuing,=. ready .to catchthe-first sheetdelivered to it andfeeditzintoa pocket. When a sheet does appear. and is ed-, :.theswitch-103 will be actuated thus breaking the locking circuit at relay Rcausing blade R B tol meet contact R B again and restore thexdrum motor.circuit and .start drum rotation.

Another possibility for abnormal operation is the feeding;of; more; thanone sheet at a time. If this should occur the, plural sheetdetector 123is moved and switch 127 is, actuated to closed position. The occurrence,of CJQu c5'Ji 3iatE3till'1fi6lwhel'l, the sheet detector switch 103 isalsoaetuated; and the occurrence will. also. continue into the; instantof time when the pocket demand switch is actuated. Accordingly a flow ofcurrent is.estab lished via conductor:167 to switch 103, contact 193,conductor ;195, switch;.10. conductors 197,201, 207, 209-, switch'127,and-conductor 211 :to the solenoid of.relay R Pocketdemand switch '105",however, is.only instantaneously operated, so to insure current flow torelay R relay R is actuated and locked by the closing of switch 105.:Thus current flows to relay R ,in,.any event via a pathincluding:,.conduc,tor;167 to switch 103,:contactg193,conductor'195,:bladeR A,contact R A conductors 203, 207 and'209, switch127 and conductor 211., This, cur.- rent, by eitherroute, normally thelatter, actuates, the relay R so that-blade R A leaves contact R Abreaking thehdrnmmotorand brake solenoid'circuit and, stopping drumrotation. At the same time blade R A meets contact, R A This completes acircuit via,conductor-169, blade R A,.contact,R A conductors 233 and231, plural sheet feed ;switch'129; conductors 229 and 227' to feedstopsolenoid 101 to prevent feedingeven though the pocket-demand switch105 has been actuated. Further more, blade R 13 meetszcontact R 'B whichnow receives currentvia jumper conductor 233 from contact R A andcurrent flows via, conductor 245 to the plural'document; indicatinglight128. When the .machine, shuts down, the pluralasheets have already beenfed somewhat into the,nip of feed rollers 83, 85, and withdrawal; in theopposite direction is not desirable. To correct the, situation,, theoperator manually opens plural sheet feed switch 129.Thisbreaksthe,previously described circuit to the feed ,stop solenoid101, and. permits the plural sheets to befed out into the waiting pocketunder the-eyefofthe operator so that the extra or extras can beremovedwhen the-poeketnbecomes conveniently located shortly? thereafter;Whentheplural sheet thickness leavesthe detector 2.3,. switch 121is.onened' again. This deenergizeszthe solenoid of re1ay-R and, permits:the blades, to return tmtheirgoriginal normalposition ,so.thatdrumrotation resumes and light 128 goes out. Simultaneously the normalfeeding of the next single sheet occurs, readying the same forprojection into the next pocket (the pocket after that into which theplural sheets were fed), as soon as called for by the pocket demandswitch 105 in response to its actuation by the correlative tab 33.

In Figs. 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 is illustrated a feature of the presentinvention whereby the capacity of the drum may be increased, i.e. anumber of sets equal to a multiple of the number of drum pockets may becollated at one time. To this end the drum 23 is made longer than thesheets to be handled, i.e. longer than the maximum width of the feedassembly 75, as can be seen in Fig. 3. The feed assembly has aplurality, preferably two, of positions, so that it will feed the sheetsinto distinct, spaced locations in the drum pockets, as seen in Fig. 3.The feed assembly 75 is movable relative to the drum, parallel to thedrum axis, and can be set first at the lefthand end to feed sheet 1 intothe left-hand ends of the drum pockets as seen at A in Figs. 3 and 12.The feed assembly can then be moved to the right-hand end of the drum soas to feed sheet 1 into the right-hand ends of the drum pockets as seenat B in Figs. 3 and 12. Thus, if there are fifty pockets, one hundred ofsheet 1 will have been distributed. This process can be repeated witheach of the different sheets until all have been disare notched asindicated by reference numeral 251 to rest in locating grooves providedat appropriate places along a rear cross shaft 253. Grooves 2.55, asseen in Figs. 4 and 8, provide for positioning the feed assembly in theleft position, and grooves 257, Figs. 3, 4, and 8, provide forright-hand positioning. Suitable resilient bumpers 259 permit the feedassembly to be shifted rapidly back and forth without injury. Fig. 6illustrates the manner of shifting the feed assembly from one positionto the other. As shown therein the operator places her hand under therear of the feed assembly, rocks it up to dotted line position about theaxis of shaft 249, shifts it laterally in the desired direction,allowing the notches 251 to drop into the appropriate grooves so thatthe feed assembly settles back into full line position.

In order that the feed assembly 75 may be readily shifted back andforth, the conductors which make the connections between it and theelectrical apparatus on housing 21 are arranged as a flexible cablewhich can swing to accommodate the necessary feed assembly movement.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A collating device comprising a sheet receiving drum with peripheralpockets substantially longer axially of the drum than the sheets to becollated; said pockets including radially disposed plates each having adeep central notch in the outer edge thereof; means for rotating saiddrum; sheet feeding mechanism adjacent the drum periphery for feeding asheet into each pocket as the same passes the feeding mechanism; meansmounting the feeding mechanism for shifting movement in a path parallelto the drum axis; and means for positioning the feeding mechanism in atleast two determinate locations along said path whereby sheets may befed into said elongate pockets in a plurality of positions overlappingat the notch locations to provide for subsequent removal of the entiresheet collation in each pocket by manually gripping the overlappedportions at the notch locations and for ready identification andseparation of the sheets in each position therein.

2. A collating device as set forth in claim 1 in which said mountingmeans includes a first support element parallel to the drum axis, onwhich said feeding mechanism is rockable and shiftable, and in whichsaid positioning means includes another support element against whichsaid feeding mechanism is normally urged but away from which it can bemanually rocked on said first support element, and which includes meansinterlocking with said feeding mechanism when in position against saidother support element to prevent movement axially of the drum and fromwhich said feeding mechanism can be disengaged by rocking on said firstsupport element in a direction contrary to that of said urging.

3. The method of collating sheets which comprises rotating a sheetreceiving drum with peripheral pockets substantially longer than thesheets to be collated; feeding sheets, one into one end of each pocket,from a stack of sheets as the pockets move by a sheet storage station;and feeding similar sheets, one into the other end of each pocket, fromsaid stack of sheets so as to lie in each pocket in overlapping relationwith the first fed sheet; repeating the last two feeding steps using adifferent type of sheet for each such pair of steps; removing the pairsof collected sets from the pockets; grasping the ends of each pair; andstripping the individual sets apart.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,041,806 King Oct. 12, 1912 1,989,976 Fuller Feb. 5, 1935 2,122,136Fuller June 28, 1938 2,146,695 Brand Feb. 7, 1939 2,219,489 Parks Oct.29, 1940- 2,237,269 Brand Apr. 1, 1941 2,288,149 Williams June 30, 19422,313,633 Ford Mar. 9, 1943 2,389,107 Rice Nov. 13, 1945 2,392,032Domville Jan. 1, 1946 2,440,347 Poitras Apr. 27, 1948 2,505,925 VonHaase May 2, 1950 2,561,070 Phythian July 17, 1951 2,589,676 Crissy Mar.18, 1952 2,785,893 Ford Mar. 19, 1957

